Saskatchewan Fine Art Fair Perfects Hybrid On-Location and Online Event for 2021
(September 13, 2021) [Saskatchewan]. Saskatchewan’s premier fine art fair, Art Now, has the formula for a virtual and online fine art fair down pat. After a wildly successful hybrid on-location and online event in 2020, the fine art fair is keeping the formula customers enjoyed in 2021 for the 6th edition of the show this September.
“More than 30,000 people attended Art Now online last year and we had breakthrough numbers in person,” says Melanie Metcalf, Art Now committee chair. “Last year, art buyers made the shift to attending and buying art online easily as well as enjoying the option to go to galleries on location. For now, being hybrid has turned out to be a great fit for customers, galleries, and artists,” Metcalf adds.
Art Now will be the largest fine art fair of modern and contemporary art on the Canadian prairies featuring 17 commercial galleries and more than 600 works of art available for purchase. All artwork and programming will be hosted on artnow.ca from September 16-26, 2021, with the online opening reception kicking things off the evening of September 16. Participating galleries will also be hosting on-location events, taking place September 25 and 26. All details can be found at https://www.artnow.ca.
This year’s Art Now participating galleries are from across the province, making 2021’s event an all-around Saskatchewan approach with new galleries and artists on show as well. Attendees will be able to enjoy a variety of art works displayed by galleries from across the province. Art will be available in a variety of sizes, styles, mediums, and price points, so whether you’re an established art lover or just starting to buy, there is something for everyone.
This year’s programming includes an online opening reception on September 16 at 6pm. Opening night attendees will have first access to purchase works, are invited to chat with gallerists online, and can enter for a chance to win one of 16 door prizes. In addition, there will be virtual artist talks, panels and Zoom sessions. The opening night reception can be accessed by visiting https://www.artnow.ca.
For 2021, Art Now invited Saskatchewan curator, Jesse Campbell, to shape the panel sessions for the show. “The Art Now panel sessions are about the lives of artworks, from their journeys through artists’ hands to the homes and spaces they come to inhabit,” says Campbell. “We’ve designed the panel discussions with themes of interest for everyone.”
On-location events will be taking place with a host of participating galleries on September 25 and 26, featuring art installations, pop-up exhibitions, artists on site, live painting, and more. A complete list of on-location galleries and events can be found at artnow.ca.All on-location visitors are eligible to win a $100 SaskGalleries gift certificate just by completing a short online survey.
For family programming, organizers are excited to bring the “next gen creators,” some engaging activities and inspiration featuring Saskatchewan’s up-and-coming artists. More information can be found at https://www.artnow.ca.
COVID-19 – attendees are asked to please check the gallery protocols and provincial COVID-19 guidelines before attending. All activities will respect current guidelines set out by the Saskatchewan's Chief Medical Health Officer at the time of the event.
Produced by SaskGalleries, Art Now is in its 6th year of bringing premier commercial galleries together to sell art. Art Now is made possible with the generous support of the fair’s major supporter, Creative Saskatchewan, as well as SaskLotteries and the City of Saskatoon, artsvest, Business / Arts, Art Lease Canada, SaskMusic, and other sponsors, supporters, and partners.
Established in 1999, SaskGalleries is an association of the leading Saskatchewan professional commercial art galleries whose focus is to promote the sale of original art through reputable Saskatchewan galleries.
EVENTS:
Opening Reception – free admission
Thursday, September 16 at 6pm, online
Online – free admission
September 16-26, 2021 at artnow.ca
Open online from Friday, September 17 to 8:00pm on Sunday, September 27, 2021
On Location – free admission
On location at several of the galleries on September 25 and 26. See https://www.artnow.ca/online/on-location-galleries for the full list of galleries and special events split out by region.
-- 30 –
For more information, please contact:
Melanie Metcalf
SaskGalleries Vice-President
Art Now Committee Chair
Mobile: (306) 737-7461 [text preferred to voice mail]
Email: melaniemetcalf@gmail.com
OR
Kristin Wagman
Executive Director
SaskGalleries
Mobile: (306) 551-7655 [text preferred to voice mail]
Office: 306) 775-3323
Email: kristin@saskgalleries.ca
https://www.saskgalleries.ca
https://www.artnow.ca
Facebook: www.facebook.com/ArtNowFineArtFair
Art Now event page: www.facebook.com/events/577021066302460
Instagram: @ArtNowFineArtFair, @SaskGalleries